Nick Kurtz
{{Short description|American baseball player (born 2003)}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=July 2024}}
{{Infobox baseball biography
|name = Nick Kurtz
|image =
|team = Athletics
|number = 16
|position = First baseman
|birth_date = {{birth date and age|2003|3|12}}
|birth_place = Lancaster, Pennsylvania, U.S.
|bats = Left
|throws = Left
|debutleague = MLB
|debutdate = April 23
|debutyear = 2025
|debutteam = Athletics
|statleague = MLB
|statyear = May 10, 2025
|stat1label = Batting average
|stat1value = .286
|stat2label = Home runs
|stat2value = 0
|stat3label = Runs batted in
|stat3value = 5
|awards =
|teams =
- Athletics ({{mlby|2025}}–present)
}}
Nicholas Jeffrey Kurtz (born March 12, 2003) is an American professional baseball first baseman for the Athletics of Major League Baseball (MLB). He made his MLB debut in 2025.
Career
=Amateur career=
Kurtz played for the USA 12U National Team and won a gold medal at the 2015 World Cup.{{cite web|url=https://lancasteronline.com/sports/local_sports/nick-kurtz-pitches-usa-12u-national-team-to-world-cup-championship/article_606b22e6-3af0-11e5-8a5a-f77e002c17c0.html|title=Nick Kurtz pitches USA 12U National Team to World Cup championship|date=August 4, 2015 |publisher=LNP}} He attended Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee.{{cite web|url=https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2021/apr/26/prep-roundup-nick-kurtz-baylor-enjoy-special/|title=Prep roundup: Nick Kurtz, Baylor enjoy special senior night in shutout of McCallie|date=April 26, 2021 |publisher=Chattanooga Times Free Press}} He committed to Wake Forest University to play college baseball.
As a freshman at Wake Forest in 2022, Kurtz was named a freshman All-American after hitting .338/.471/.637 with 15 home runs and 56 runs batted in (RBI) over 204 at-bats in 54 games. As a sophomore in 2023, he hit .353/.527/.784 with 24 home runs and 69 RBI over 190 at-bats in 56 games {{cite web|url=https://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2023/jun/15/wake-forest-duo-from-baylor-among-former-chattanooga-area-stars-in-college-world-series/#/questions/4570913|title=Wake Forest duo from Baylor among former Chattanooga-area stars in College World Series|date=June 15, 2023 |publisher=Chattanooga Time Free Press}}{{cite web|url=https://lancasteronline.com/sports/baseball/college/former-manheim-township-blue-streak-nick-kurtz-now-at-wake-forest-is-an-elite-mlb/article_0f63f702-28c1-11ee-b0eb-e7d957b0484d.html|title=Former Manheim Township Blue Streak Nick Kurtz, now at Wake Forest, is an elite MLB prospect|date=July 22, 2023 |publisher=LNP}} and was named a first team All-American by the American Baseball Coaches Association.{{Cite web |title=Nick Kurtz - Baseball |url=https://godeacs.com/sports/baseball/roster/nick-kurtz/8074 |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=Wake Forest University Athletics |language=en}} As a junior in 2024, Kurtz was named team captain and slashed .306/.531/.763 with 22 home runs and 57 RBI. {{Cite web |title=Nick Kurtz College, Minor & Fall Leagues Statistics |url=https://www.baseball-reference.com/register/player.fcgi?id=kurtz-000nic |access-date=2025-04-22 |website=Baseball-Reference.com |language=en}} Kurtz left Wake Forest as the program's all-time leader in walks (189).
=Professional career=
Kurtz was a top prospect in the 2024 Major League Baseball draft.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/top-20-college-prospects-for-2024-mlb-draft|title=Top 20 college prospects for '24 Draft|work=MLB.com}}{{cite web|url=https://www.baseballamerica.com/stories/2024-mlb-mock-draft-way-too-early-top-10-picks/|title=2024 MLB Mock Draft: "Way Too Early" Top 10 Picks|date=July 12, 2023 |publisher=Baseball America}} The Oakland Athletics selected him in the first round, with the fourth overall selection.{{cite news |last1=Gallegos |first1=Martín |title=A's select Wake Forest slugger Nick Kurtz with No. 4 pick |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/nick-kurtz-drafted-fourth-by-athletics |work=MLB.com |date=July 14, 2024 |language=en}} On July 22, 2024, Kurtz signed with Oakland on a contract worth $7 million.{{Cite web |last=Franco |first=Anthony |date=2024-07-22 |title=A's Sign First-Round Pick Nick Kurtz |url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2024/07/as-sign-first-round-pick-nick-kurtz.html |access-date=2024-09-26 |website=MLB Trade Rumors |language=en-US}} He split his first professional season between the Single-A Stockton Ports and Double-A Midland RockHounds. Kurtz was assigned to the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators to begin the 2025 season.
On April 21, 2025, Kurtz was promoted to the major leagues for the first time, after just 32 total games in the minor leagues.{{cite web|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/nick-kurtz-athletics-prospect-call-up-mlb|title=Kurtz, 2024 No. 4 overall pick & A's top prospect, getting called up (source)|author=Martín Gallegos|work=MLB.com|date=April 21, 2025|access-date=April 21, 2025}} He made his MLB debut two days later against the Texas Rangers, where he 1-for-4 with an RBI single.{{Cite web |last=Franco |first=Anthony |date=2024-04-24 |title='You saw the joy, right?': Kurtz leaves a mark in MLB debut |url=https://www.mlb.com/news/nick-kurtz-hits-rbi-single-in-1st-mlb-at-bat-with-athletics?game_pk=778197 |access-date=2024-04-27 |website=MLB.com |language=en-US}}
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{baseballstats |mlb=701762 |espn=4966637 |br=k/kurtzni01 |brm=kurtz-000nic}}
{{2024 MLB Draft}}
{{Athletics first-round draft picks}}
{{Athletics roster navbox}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kurtz, Nick}}
Category:Athletics (baseball) players
Category:Baseball players from Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Category:Las Vegas Aviators players
Category:Major League Baseball first basemen
Category:Mesa Solar Sox players
Category:Midland RockHounds players
Category:Stockton Ports players